The Burden's Revenge
by GhostWriter11202
Summary: Fionna gets dragged into wearing a dress to Prince Gumball's ball, but little does she know that the necklace she wears will awaken the Witch. And most likely, end her life.


_**The Burden's Revenge**_

**Chapter 1 *Dresses Messes***

The land of Aaa was quiet and peaceful. The candy citizens laughed, socialized, and were having a great time. The sun was out and shone down upon the jubilant people, making the day all the merrier.

Fionna, the Young Human Adventuress of the Land of Aaa, sat fuming on a bench, next to her best friend, Cake.

"I don't care! I'm NOT wearing a dress!" Fionna whined like a cranky child.

Cake, exasperated, grabbed Fionna by the shoulders and shook her. "You're gonna wear a dress, Fionna! Even if I have to shove you in it myself. Besides, I already got you a dress."

Fionna narrowed her eyes at the calico cat. "You didn't." Cake smiled victoriously, crossing her arms.

"I did. It's at home, safe and sound. Ready for you to wear to Prince Gumball's Ball!"

Fionna hung her head at these words, already knowing her sister wouldn't take no for an answer. But then Fionna had a malicious idea.

'What if the dress was "mysteriously" ruined? By some "unknown" accident?' she thought cleverly. She smiled evilly, forming her plan as they spoke.

"What're you smilin' about? You're not thinking of a way to get out of wearing the dress, are you?" Cake eyed her suspiciously.

Snapped out of her thoughts by Cake's accusation, Fionna looked at her blankly. "Wha-?"

"Mmhm. That's what I thought," Cake said in her best "adult" voice.

Fionna rolled her eyes. "You didn't expect me, Heroine of Heroes, to be persuaded that easily into wearing a...DRESS, did you?" She said the last part with disgust. She REALLY hated dresses.

But as if reading her mind, Cake asked, "Why do you hate dresses so much? It's a weird thing to hate, ya know? Girl equals dress. It's simple math, duh."

Shaking her head, Fionna replied, "No. Not simple math. Girl plus sword equals MATHEMATICAL! How can an adventuress be tough and hero-y if she's wearing a dress? They just get caught in twigs and junk." When Fionna said this, she said it from experience. When she'd been an even younger heroine than now, she'd tried to wear a floor-length dress on her first adventure. She'd tripped on her face and had gotten a nasty cut from her sword. But the worst part was the monster laughing at her. Literally. It had sounded like a wheezy, gruff coughing fit rather than laughing, but laughing nonetheless. That's when she'd sworn to slay all things evil with her trusty sword. And not while in a pink frilly dress.

"Just this one night! I swear," Cake tried to persuade the stubborn Fionna. She pulled out the pouty kitten look. Dang it.

Sighing, she mumbled, "Fine. But I'm bringing the sword!"

Ecstatic at the response, Cake squealed. "Yay! I've got yo dress at home! And...wait, did you say sword?"

Looking at anything but Cake, Fionna said, "Maybe..."

Placing her hands on her...hips?...Cake raised an eyebrow in a too familiar way. "Whadya mean 'maybe'? You are not bringing that along."

Fionna groaned in a very unlady-like way. "Why can't I? You may have gotten me into wearing a dress...may I repeat, a DRESS...but you are not taking my sword. What if there's an emergency? I can shrink it down, ya know. Please?"

"Fine," Cake said flatly. But her thoughts switched back to outfits and she got all jittery again. "We better get home, sugar!"

"Why?"

"Well, we gotta have time to get ready, don't we? Come on, girl!"

When Fionna didn't get up Cake wrapped her ever-stretching arms around Fionna's waist and lifted her five feet off the ground. Fionna crossed her arms and pouted. Without a word the excited cat carried the sulking young hero to her doom. A dress.

Lounging on the tattered green sofa, Fionna chillaxed with her arms behind her head, eyes closed blissfully, and drowned out everything Cake squealed at her. Cake was way too excited for this ball, even Fionna had to admit. But maybe it was the fact that she was going with Lord Monochromicorn that made her girly and annoying. Yeah, that must be it.

"Okay, honey, now for the moment of truth!" declared Cake in a show-business tone. She was rummaging through a dusty old trunk that was dirty with age. Cake had broken the lock on it with her mega-nails and had started picking through everything with her sharp little claws.

"Where did you find that trunk? It looks...creepy." Which was something to say, because Fionna NEVER got creeped out...easily.

With her head still plunged in the decaying wood, her muffled voice came out. "I found it in the basement. It was hidden in a crevice in the wall. I thought it was mysterious, so I pulled it out. And ba-bam! A trunk filled with treasures!"

Fionna sat up at the sound of that. Did she just say, treasure? She was all over that.

"Treasure? What kind of treasure?" she hopped around her sister eagerly, trying to see the contents of the box.

But Cake didn't come out and her distorted voice traveled out again. "Oh, just some really old love letters, pictures, a dress, and...woo wee!"

"What? What is it?" Fionna asked impatiently, hardly able to contain her curiosity. Cake pulled her head out of the trunk clutching...a necklace. What's so exciting about that?

"It's a beauty!" Cake's eyes were wide with awe. She looked hypnotized by the very sight of the piece of jewelry.

"Hmph. What's so great about the necklace?" Fionna huffed.

Completely changing the subject Cake said, "I think you should wear this with the dress. It matches perfectly!"

"Uh, I dunno." Doubt etched Fionna's voice.

"Come on, sweetie! Try on the dress! Then, if you don't like it, you don't have to wear the necklace. Deal?" Cake held out her hand.

She thought it over. Fair enough. "Deal." She reached out a hand to shake Cake's, but Cake moved it to the side, then the other side, up, down, twisted it around Fionna's arm, until she gave up. She was playing tricks on her. Fionna looked down at her blankly.

"Good. Then it's settled. Get your patootie in that dress, girl!" Cake said.

Grumbling, Fionna obeyed. She picked up the royal blue dress. It had a top layer of gold, an under layer of the same royal blue, then another gold layer that had ruffles to make the dress look poofy. Not Fionna's style. The top of the gown had an intricate swirly design made of gold thread spreading across the chest and was actually quite pretty. There were no sleeves, but the dress went from the chest area straight around her neck to hold it up. There was a thin gold ribbon going around her waist and it tied in a delicate, limp bow in the back.

...EW.

She dragged her feet into the bathroom.

Cake dove back into the trunk, looking for a pair of shoes to go along with the rest of Fionna's outfit. And what do you know, a perfect gold pair of heels.

'She's gonna hate this,' she thought smugly. She wasn't doing this to torture her, but she knew how much Fionna liked Prince Gumball, and Cake knew Fionna wasn't going to get a man with brute force.

Only minutes (and a couple choice words from Fionna) later, Fionna stepped out of the restroom. The gown fit to her body perfectly, accentuating what curves she did have. And of course, she had her bunny eared hat on and ready, her bangs too stubborn to stay inside the hat. She grabbed her sword, shrunk it down, and stuck it in the folds of the ribbon.

"There. Happy?"

Cake was beaming. "Yes! You look..." But she trailed off, knowing that if she said anything like "pretty" or "beautiful", Fionna would sock her in the arm. Hard.

So instead she said, "Awesome. You look awesome!" Fionna's expression seemed to soften at the word "awesome".

Cake revealed the golden heels shyly. "And I found these."

Fionna grabbed them without a word. Cake picked up the necklace that went along with dress. It was a marble blue oval gem with flecks of gold throughout it. It was strung on a thin gold chain, enchanted looking.

"Remember the deal." Cake raised an eyebrow.

"Whatever, dude. Hand it over." Cake went behind Fionna and clasped the necklace around her neck. It dangled just above Fionna's collarbone, no other way to describe the effect of the necklace except for PERFECT.

Fionna held her hands out to her sides. "Well? This the look you wanted?" Cake nodded her head approvingly.

"Ma turn!" she yelled. Running into the bedroom, Cake could be heard scrambling around. When she came out, all she had was a red ribbon tied around her neck. Fabulous.

"Huh?" Cake asked.

"Uh...mathematical! I think," Fionna stammered, not knowing the right words to say. Cake didn't seem upset by her reaction and clapped her hands.

"Lord Monochromicorn will be here any moment!"

But Fionna wasn't listening. She felt a weird tingling sensation, right where the necklace lay against her cool skin. Dazed, she swayed for a moment. But as quick as it had come, the feeling was gone. Her focus cleared and she felt normal once again.

'Weird,' she thought fleetingly. The thought brushed aside, she waited for her ride to the ball, already dreading the long night.

**Chapter 2 *King Prankster***

The night air was chilling and woke her up from any sleepiness she was feeling. Lord Monochromicorn flew them to the Candy Palace, which lay in the distance, lights from the inside brightening the outside streets with a yellow glow. She could already hear the laughter and music drifting up through the air to her hat covered ears. Flitting images of dancing couples flew by the window left and right.

'Crap. I don't know how to dance,' Fionna thought worriedly. But her worry left her immediately, for she knew she wouldn't have to dance. At least she hoped.

A glance at Cake showed her making googley eyes with Lord Monochromicorn.

"Yo, watch the sky!" Fionna exclaimed when a flock of birds came flapping towards them. Lord Monochromicorn made a graceful dive for the palace yards, landing with barely a sound.

"That was an amazing trick! You're really talented." Cake cooed. Fionna rolled her eyes. Gross. Being around Lord Monochromicorn made Cake weird. She didn't like it.

She jumped off the back of Lord Monochromicorn and landed ninja style. Standing up straight again, she realized her backpack was gone.

"Cake! We gotta go back for my backpack! Now!" Fionna tugged on the love-struck cat's ribbon. But if Cake noticed, she didn't show it. She walked on ahead with her partner, still staring lovingly at him. Fionna groaned.

"Butthead," she muttered. She began to walk back to the treehouse when a familiar voice called her name.

Her heart fluttered. "Oh, hey PG!"

"Where're you going? The ball's this way." He stood in the doorway of the castle, the light pouring out behind making him a silhouette.

"Y-yeah. I knew that." She walked back to the doors, forgetting completely about the backpack.

When she reached him he smiled warmly. He put a hand on her back and ushered her in.

"I'm so glad you could make it. I was worried for a second," he confessed.

"Oh, I wouldn't miss it for anything!" Fionna was regaining her composure.

He took a second glance at her. "Where'd the dress come from? I've never seen you wear one."

She blushed slightly. "Cake found it in an old trunk. And these shoes. And the necklace."

"Well, you look pretty." Now if anyone else had said this to her, she would've killed them on the spot. But coming from Prince Gumball, she didn't mind.

"Uh, thanks," she mumbled.

They walked a little further into the crowd when Gumball said, "Oh! There she is. Fionna, I would like you to meet Princess Licorice."

Princess Licorice came strolling towards them wearing a sleeveless deep red dress that had rivets in the skirt swirling up to her waist. Looping from the waistline of the gown was a lighter red belt that twisted and turned, making an elegant pattern. The top of the dress was heart-shaped and had no design. Her hair was crimson and braided in elf knots down her shoulders. She had a petite figure and her eyelashes were long, making her carmine eyes stand out. Her lips were also blood red. In short words, she was exceptionally beautiful.

"Hello, Fionna. Prince Gumball has told me much about you," she said politely in a soft spoken voice.

Fionna shook her hand timidly. "Uh, hi. Who are you?"

"I'm Princess Licorice. I've come to get to know Prince Gumball."

Fionna raised an eyebrow at Gumball. He nervously glanced at Princess Licorice and asked her to get to know some of the other guests. She curtsied with expertise and ambled away.

Gumball put an arm around Fionna's shoulder, which made her heart skip a beat, and led her through the dancing couples.

"Fionna...Princess Licorice-"

"She seems nice. And pretty. What did she mean she came to meet you?"

He sighed and placed his forefinger and thumb on the bridge of his nose, trying to stop an oncoming headache.

"Fionna, she's...my fiancée. It's an arranged marriage to unite our kingdoms, we did not choose ourselves. I've been meaning to inform you of this, but it never came up..."

Fionna stared blankly at him. Her heart felt as if it had shattered into millions of pieces, too broken to be fixed. A heavy feeling settled in her chest and made it hard to breathe. She felt as if all in the world was wrong. She was angry. No, sad. No, depressed. And broken. All these thoughts raced through her mind at once. Her mixed emotions made it harder to think.

The response to all she was feeling was, "Oh."

"You understand, right?" Fionna could see the worry in his eyes.

Not wanting to hurt his feelings, like hers had been crushed, she said with a forced smile, "Yes! Yes, I understand. It's...algebraic, man."

But being the daft Prince he was, Gumball didn't see through her act. "Oh, thank you! I must be getting back to being host. Have a lovely time. I suggest you try dancing." He gestured to the people.

She held her hands up in protest. "Oh, no, no, no! I don't dance."

"Come on, you must try! Here, lets find you a suitable partner." He took her hand gently and steered her into the heart of the crowd.

He left her to find someone to dance with. She watched the others as they did the Waltz sophisticatedly and weaved around other dancers. Soon after he'd abandoned her, an ice cream gentleman came from the crowd and bowed to her.

"May I have this dance?" he said in a nasally voice. He wore nerdy glasses and had braces. No thank you.

But not wanting to be rude, she stuck her hand out slowly.

"Uh, I guess..." she said slowly.

But right when he was about to take her hand, a flash of something with jet black hair sped by, and the next thing the ice cream nerd knew, Fionna was gone.

"Wha..." he said, confused. Shrugging his shoulders, he went back to sitting by the punch bowl.

Fionna wasn't hurt, she was actually very glad.

"I just saved you from King Nerdsalot. You owe me one." Marshall Lee warned playfully. The two were Waltzing with everyone else, blending into the crowd. Of course Fionna wasn't actually touching the ground. Marshall was holding her just above the floor, but it looked as if she was dancing because the dress was just long enough. Marshall knew how clumsy she was.

"Thank you. That would have been a disaster! My dancing skills would just get junked up by him." she said self-righteously.

Marshall raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? You're "dancing skills"? Show me." He placed her back on the ground and she used every ounce of her "skills" to prove to him he was wrong. But her feet got tangled in his and she tripped on her dress, falling into another pair. That caused a domino effect and another five fell.

Snickering, Marshall picked her up and kept her above ground level once again.

He spun her around twice and pulled her back, then dipped her. He really knew how to dance. "I see. You do have skills." he said with a smug smile.

"Glob it, Marshall," she said irritatingly. He laughed again.

"Settle down, Fi. Don't get your bunny ears in a twist." He poked the ear of her hat. She slapped his hand karate style.

"Don't. Touch. The hat," she threatened. He raised his eyebrows but said nothing. Fionna's smile faltered. There was the tingling again, where the necklace sat. This time her vision clouded and she hung her head and closed her eyes. She felt dizzy, even though she wasn't standing.

Marshall frowned. "You okay? You don't look too good."

"Y-yeah. I'm fine. Just..." she trailed off. Marshall helped her over to a seat at the edges of the ballroom. She had a hand to her forehead. The dizziness had morphed into a headache. Marshall's concerned voice broke through the pounding in her head, but she couldn't decipher his words. She felt him shaking her shoulders but couldn't do anything about it. Then the headache began to fade slowly, ever so slowly. She opened her eyes and came face-to-face with Mashall Lee.

"Fionna? Fionna?"

Her eyes were half opened and she felt woozy.

"W-what?" Her senses came back and it felt as if nothing had happened.

His eyes were wide. "You blacked out. You okay now?"

She shook her head, feeling a little more alive. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm perfectly fine." she said with a decisive swat of her hand. He didn't look convinced, but he let it drop.

Back to his usual laid back demeanor, he leaned back in his chair.

They sat in silence for a while. And in that silence Fionna snuck a peek over at Prince Gumball, a sad expression on her face as she watched PG and Princess Licorice dance with flair, laughing and talking to each other like they'd been together for a long time. It made her heart hurt.

Marshall noticed her sour expression and asked, "What's with the face, Fi? You look like you downed a gallon of lemon juice."

"Nothing," she replied flatly.

"Huh, "nothing" always means something. Spill it, or I have ways of making you talk." He gave her a menacing smile that told her he meant it. She sighed, not wanting to share her feelings with him. She knew from past situations that if she said something too personal he'd laugh and tease her about it for days.

"Come on, pouty. What's up?"

With hesitation, she said as quietly as she could, "Gumball's getting married."

But Marshall's keen ears picked it up easily. "Seriously? That's what your upset about? Who cares if Gummy's getting married." Marshall said.

Fionna knew he would react this way. She stood up and gathered her skirts to keep from tripping on the fluffy mess. "I knew it. Look, just forget it. I'm going home, this stupid dress is making everything cruddy! Bye, Marsh."

Noticing he'd upset Fionna deeply, he grabbed her arm. "No, wait. Here, I'll make it up to you! How about..." He searched the room for something to cheer her up with. Then he spotted it. "How about I go tease Pinky's girl? Huh? That'll cheer you up." He smiled mischievously.

A faint smile tugged at her lips. "Maybe..." she said without looking at him. He took that as a yes.

"Watch this."

He silently flew over to Prince Gumball and Princess Licorice. He came up behind PL as Gumball was talking to her. Marshall opened his mouth wide and looked as though he was about to bite the Princess covered in red. Gumball noticed him and screamed "No!" and jumped at the Princess, flinging her to the side, away from Marshall.

"What in the world?" Princess Licorice exclaimed.

"I-I'm terribly sorry. It's just-" But he stopped, deciding it was better not to say "a demon was about to suck the red from your blood".

Fionna stifled a laugh.

Now Marshall came back around and pulled PL's left side of her hair. She whirled around, looking for the culprit. Finding none, she turned back to Gumball with a frown on her beautiful lips. Marshall pulled the other side of her hair.

She turned to find nothing with her fists clenched. "Ugh!" she grunted. But realizing that was a very unmannerly thing to do, she covered her mouth with a tiny hand and apologized.

Fionna almost couldn't hold her laughter in. Marshall Lee saw and took that as encouragement.

Now Gumball was explaining one of his bigger experiments to the very attentive Princess. Marshall floated upside down just behind Gumball's head and made a face. Sticking out his tongue, crossing his eyes, and making moose ears on the side of his head, Marshall got Princess Licorice to giggle. She tried to cover it up as a cough, but failed. She began laughing louder and Prince Gumball got an annoyed look.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know I was being funny," he said coldly.

"Oh, no! I wasn't laughing at you! I was being humored by this young man over-" But when she looked back to where Marshall Lee had been floating, he was gone. Gumball was still fuming and Princess Licorice was in a state trying to explain when Marshall came back over to Fionna.

"How's that? Ya done being glum?" Marshall tried to catch Fionna's eye, but she kept turning away.

"Well, I guess..." A smile crossed her face slowly and she turned around and playfully punched him in the arm.

"There's my Fionna!" He gave her a noogie.

"Hey you! You're screwin' up my hat!" Now her hat was completely backwards and she had her arms out in front of her.

"Marshall!"

He chuckled. "Cool down! I'm getting it." He took it off and held it above his head.

"Hey!" Her golden hair fell around her shoulders about waist length. Marshall's jaw dropped. She was kind of...pretty with her hair like that. He shook his head.

'What am I thinking?'

"Give it back, you butt!" she said. That snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Aw, Fi. You're too short. Come and get it!" he teased. She kicked him in the shin. He landed back on his feet with a thud.

"Ow! What the hey?" But Fionna had already snatched her hat back and was now doing a victory dance. She looked ridiculous.

She stopped dancing. "Ha! I finally beat big bad Marshall Lee, King of Vampires!"

"Pfft, I let you win," he mumbled, barely audible.

"What? No way!" She sounded crestfallen.

In response, he took her hand and dragged her onto the dance floor.

"You're not going to faint on me again, are you?"

Fionna blushed. "No, dude. That's a one time thing only."

"It better be. Cause next time, I'll dump you in a ditch."

She punched him in the arm again, but harder this time.

He rubbed his arm. "Ow! I was just kidding!"

She knew he was joking. Or at least she hoped he was.

Three hours later, Fionna was napping on a chair, slumped on the food table. Three hours of dancing can really wipe you out, especially when it was past midnight.

"Fionna...Fi? Are you dead?" Marshall whispered, poking her cheek.

She lazily swatted his hand away in her sleep, mumbling something about "Cake stealing the last cookie" and "going to kill that cat".

Marshall pulled on one the ears on her hat, just to make sure she was really sleeping. But she didn't even attempt to jump on him and rip his arm off, so he knew she was really out. Picking her up in his arms gently, he carried her out of the ballroom, still milling with guests. It was still full and nobody had left, everybody too excited and distracted to be tired.

Outside he lifted off the ground. He was bringing her home, but he didn't know why. If it had been any of his other friends he'd have left them to sleep on the ground for all he cared. But for some reason he felt obliged to bring Fionna home.

The temperature had dropped about 10 degrees since the beginning of the ball and Fionna cuddled up closer to Marshall, trying to find warmth in her sleep. He looked down at her, the skirts of her dress billowing in the wind, her bangs fluttering around her face. She smiled in her sleep, which made Marshall wonder what she was dreaming about.

'Is it about the whole 'Cake stealing the cookie' thing? Or have her dreams shifted into something better?' He snapped his head away from her face.

'Why did I just think that? Why do I care?'

Before he could further think about it, Fionna and Cake's treehouse came into view. He landed lightly outside the door and unlocked the knob without touching it. (Advantage of being a vampire) He floated in and up the ladder, walking the rest of the way in the bedroom. Marshall laid Fionna softly on her bed, careful to not wake her. But he didn't have to worry about that. She was in a deep sleep, a very unnatural deep sleep. But he thought nothing of it as he leaned down and brushed her hair out of her face and gave her a kiss goodnight on the forehead.

As Marshall Lee went out the window, Fionna's smile turned to a frown. Her dreams had turned for the worse. Still sleeping, a nightmare formed.

**Chapter 3 *The Necklace Dreams***

Fionna stood in the ballroom, silence thickening the air. All the candy citizens were gone, even Prince Gumball. The only other presence was a shadow, a silhouette of a woman standing in the center of the room. Fionna couldn't see the mysterious woman's physical features, but she got the feeling of evil emanating from her. But for some reason, she was attracted to her, felt as if she wanted to do whatever the lady commanded. And she couldn't resist.

"Fionna," came the silky, smooth voice of the woman. She sounded powerful, like she was used to ordering others around.

"Yes?" Fionna heard herself say. Fionna couldn't tell, but she had the feeling the ominous woman was smiling in a not-very-friendly way.

"I see you are wearing my necklace," she said evenly.

Without thinking, Fionna looked down to see the royal blue gem around her neck.

The woman continued. "Yes, that is my necklace. But I want you to have it. I want you to never take it off. Understand?"

Fionna nodded her head automatically.

"Good. Whenever you hear my voice, you will do whatever I say. As long as you have this necklace on, I'll be with you."

And as the woman said this, Fionna felt like she wanted the woman to be with her at all times. She felt like she wanted the woman to tell her what to do. She felt under her control.

"My name is Vivian. Whenever you feel unsure of what to do, just say my name. Do not worry, my darling, life will not go on like this forever. The time will come for me to come forth and to take my rightful place. Until tomorrow, I bid you farewell." The shadow woman dissolved into the night's darkness. Fionna stood statue still, feeling the tingling for the third time. But this time, she didn't feel weak. She felt better. Stronger.

**Chapter 4 *The Voice***

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" Cake was jumping up and down on Fionna's bed like a maniac.

Fionna turned over and kicked the cat off her bed. "Be quiet! I'm sleeping..."

"You've been sleeping long enough! It's already 3:00pm!"

Fionna sat upright immediately.

"What?" she yelled. She flung the bed sheets out of the way and ran to get her regular clothes. But forgetting she had a dress on, she tripped and fell down the hole in the floor that led downstairs.

"Holy shmowzow! Honey, you okay?" Cake startled voice called down from upstairs.

"Yeah, I'm fine. The poofiness of the dress broke my fall." Fionna got up and brushed herself off.

Climbing back up the ladder, Fionna grabbed her clothes and changed quickly.

While she changed, she said, "Cake, I had the weirdest dream last night."

"Hm?"

"Well, I was in the ballroom and there was this lady. Her name was-"

"Don't speak of me."

Startled, Fionna jumped and hit her elbow on the dresser.

Rubbing it, she thought, 'What was that?'

In response, the Voice said, "I am Vivian, remember? Do not tell anyone of my existence. Yet."

Fionna nodded her head compulsively.

"Excellent." And the Voice went quiet, but Fionna could still feel her there.

"Uh, Hun Bun? Your dream?" Cake said.

"Oh. Yeah. You know what, never mind about that." she said in a high voice. "Heh, heh..."

"Okay? Anyway, I was lying about it being 3:00pm. It's only 11:00am." Cake said slyly.

"I hate you," Fionna said, not really meaning it. "So, what are we doing today, then?"

Cake walked over to Fionna and tried to unclasp the necklace.

"Here, you left this on. I know you don't like it, so I'll take care of it."

Without even realizing it, Fionna grabbed Cake's arm and held it behind her back.

"Ow. Ow! OW! What in the cabbage, girl!" Cake screamed.

"Don't touch the necklace," Fionna forewarned.

"Okay! Okay! Just let me go!" Fionna dropped her arm.

"Geezus, you had a death grip on me," Cake looked at her warily, cradling her arm. Fionna said nothing, but tucked the necklace under her shirt.

They went outside and walked in no particular direction.

"So what're we doing? Plans?" Cake asked, trying to get over the scene that had just happened.

"Go to Hollow's Death," the Voice instructed.

"How about...Hollow's Death," Fionna declared, staring straight ahead with determination.

Cake gave her a sideways look. "What? Are you whack with poo brain? That's EXTREMELY dangerous! There's all those unknown creatures, some even we haven't learned about yet."

"I know. I don't care. Follow me," Fionna bossed. Cake made a whimpering sound, but didn't object.

Hollow's Death was just beyond Marshall Lee's cave, so as they passed, Cake made a desperate decision.

"Maybe we should stop at Marshall's. Take a break? Please?" Cake was really scared if she wanted to stop at a vampire's house.

But Fionna didn't pay any mind to her. She seemed dazed, her eyes glazed over. As if she was hypnotized.

"Fionna? I really don't want to go in here..." But again, no answer. They were coming upon Hollow's Death, which was a dark, foreboding forest that led into unknown territory. Neither of them knew what lay before them, what was hiding to attack at the right moment. But Fionna must have been feeling especially brave this fine morning, because she didn't hesitate to march right into the death trap. Cake was bewildered.

The trees loomed down on them with straggly branches that seemed to claw at the air. The sky turned dark and gray, clouds overshadowing the bright sun. Rustling of leaves kept Cake on edge every step of the way. The trail they followed was nothing more than a path of dark soil, the occasional scattered bones keeping them on track.

"Go to the center of the forest. Once there, dig where the stone lays cracked."

"Yes, Vivian." Fionna murmured.

"Who's Vivian? What're you talking about?"

Before Fionna could explain, a demon creature leaped at them, jaws wide.

The werewolf type thing had eight glowing red eyes, able to see in the dark like night vision. It's fur was a dark midnight blue, but was caked with dirt and...blood? It's fangs were the worst part. They were about five inches each and as sharp as the tip of Fionna's sword, which she pulled out calmly and took a fighting stance. A look of murder came across Fionna's face, a look Cake had never seen before.

'She hasn't been acting normal,' Cake thought, concerned.

Fionna slashed down as the creature made a second attempt to tear them apart. The sword cut through five of its eyes, forcing the thing to whirl around and snarl, now half blind. Fionna spun around to get a better advantage and stabbed at the thing. It howled as the sword slid easily into its side.

Fionna pulled the sword back slowly. "That was too easy. There's something worse waiting for us." She sounded dead serious. Cake was really worried.

"Why are you acting...different? This ain't like you," Cake asked right after the attack. They were moving again, but faster, and Cake didn't know where they were going.

"We're here."

"We're here."

"We're where?"

Again, Fionna didn't answer. Cake groaned inwardly. She was getting tired of Fionna's constant secrecy.

They'd stopped in a clearing where the trees created a circle. In the center of the space was a cement arc sticking up from the dry, hard ground. There was no grass in the dead environment, so the stone stuck out all the more.

That's when Fionna realized what it was.

"Uh, Cake? Can you please go back? You can wait at Marshall's until I'm done."

"Uh uh. What is it you have to do anyway?" She placed her hands on her "hips" again.

"Cake, please. It's none of your business."

Now that one hurt her feelings. Fionna told her everything, and when it wasn't her business, she took that as an insult.

"Fine. Don't wait up," Cake said callously. Cake sauntered away angrily, back through the eery forest to Marshall Lee's place.

Fionna turned away and dropped to her knees when she reached the grave.

"What now, Vivian?" Fionna asked the grave.

"Dig."

Fionna dug as if her life depended on it. She began to tire, but she felt as if something, or SOMEONE, was controlling her, making her dig harder. She couldn't stop.

When she finally reached the bottom, she hit a box. It wasn't big enough to be a coffin, but it was a fair size.

"What is this?" Fionna wondered aloud.

"Open it," Vivian commanded.

The next thing Fionna knew, she was leaning down into the grave and pulling up the old, dirt covered box. She opened it and the contents surprised her.

Inside was another dress, a book, candle, and a smaller, engraved metal box. The lock on the little box was an obsidian snake, interlocking with another snake to form a key hole. The snake's fangs were pin sharp.

"Where's the key?"

"That will come within good time. You have found what I've requested."

Fionna put the lid back onto the box and lifted it. It was heavy, but she managed to lug it all the way back to Marshall Lee's.

Fionna knocked on the door with her head.

Marshall opened the door.

"Yo, Fi. Cake told me you were in Hollow's Death. What up with that?"

"It's fine. It's not that bad in there."

"I know. I meant you."

Caught by surprise, she froze. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine."

"Thank glob you're back! I hate hangin' around him. He gives me the heebie jeebies," Cake said with a shudder, breaking the awkwardness.

Marshall gave Fionna a devil-may-care smile. "Heh, Cake's fun to mess with. Easy, too."

"Am not!" Cake screeched.

"Whatever. Hey, what's in the box?" Marshall asked, changing the subject.

Fionna drew a blank. "Uh...just...stuff," she tried to say casually.

Marshall cocked his head. "Stuff? What kind of stuff?" He'd come closer with those five words.

"Yeah, what's in the box, Hun?" Cake piped up.

Fionna stuck the box behind her back, which didn't help since the box was pretty big. Marshall's eyes narrowed.

"Come on, Fi. What're you hiding?"

"Nothing! Just-back off! I need to go." Fionna frantically searched for the knob behind her back, but Marshall grabbed her wrist.

"Naw, I'm sorry. Tell ya what, why don't you two stay for a while? It's gets boring around here." He let go of her wrist.

"Sure! You may be freaky, Marshall, but you gotta an EPIC movie stash!" Cake dug crazily through the movie shelf.

Marshall pointed behind him with his thumb. "See, your rabid pet says stay. What about you?" He held his hand out, as if asking her to dance.

Her defenses went down a little. But only a little. "I guess, but only for a while." She took his hand and he smiled, fangs showing.

"Fionna, get back to the tree house. Now."

But Fionna fought will all her willpower to crush down the Voice, if only for a little while. But she would soon regret her actions later.

Fionna sat the wooden box down, behind a dresser, so Cake and Marshall couldn't see it. Then she walked over to sit in between Cake and Marshall as they started the movie.

**Chapter 5 *Hollow's Death***

An hour and 35 minutes later, Fionna had fallen asleep and was dropped over on Marshall Lee's shoulder. He hadn't said anything when she'd first fallen asleep and laid her head on his shoulder. He didn't mind.

Now the too fast to read credits were scrolling down the tv screen, music playing in the background. Marshall glanced over at Cake, who was snoring louder than a jacked up blow horn. Marshall flicked her on the ear. Cake's ear twitched and her tail flicked, but she didn't wake up. Marshall, being a night creature, was wide awake and bored.

He looked over at the dresser, where he'd seen Fionna hide the box.

'What's in there that she has to hide?' he thought curiously. He knew Fi, and she never kept anything from him, even if she wanted to. But she'd been very secretive when he'd questioned. She had even turned Cake down!

Curiosity took over. Marshall gently laid Fionna down on his couch, then floated over to the dresser. Kneeling soundlessly, he gingerly pulled the wooden box out from behind the furniture. But just as he was about to open the top, he heard a noise behind him.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw Fionna sitting up straight and looking at him with alert eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked, a strange note in her voice.

"Uh," was all he could say.

She stood up and walked over to the dresser, never taking her eyes off the box.

As she leaned down, he saw a gold chain around her neck. Now what the fuzz was she doing wearing a necklace? He knew she hated anything that got in the way when she adventured.

As she was picking up the box, he asked, "Hey, what's this?" And he grabbed the metal chain, pulling the necklace from under her shirt so he could see it.

When he saw the royal blue gem, he was hit with a sense of familiarity.

"Wait, this looks familiar. Where did you find it?" he asked, wanting more information on the gem.

"Cake found it in our basement." she replied. She didn't seem the same as she said this. She looked...tired. But little did he know, weariness had nothing to do with it.

"Fi, why don't you go back to bed. I'll just sit the box back here-"

"No. I'll take care of it. I'll be right back," she said flatly. Now he was really starting worry.

A few minutes later, Fionna came back from the hallway, where she had been hiding the box again.

Marshall stood up and helped her over to the couch, afraid she was going to do something unpredictable. The way she'd been acting lately concerned him, especially the things Cake told him while Fionna was in Hollow's Death.

Fionna laid down and went to sleep immediately. His nerves being set to rest, he sat on the floor and leaned his head against the couch, taking a nap.

He woke to the front door closing. Was that...Fionna? He jumped up and yanked open the door, knowing something was up. And there he saw Fionna walking dazedly towards Hollow's Death wearing a sparrow black dress.

All he could think was, 'Da heck?'

But still he flew after her. He could tell she wasn't in her right mind, she stumbled and swayed as she walked. But what was wrong? As she entered the forest, he saw a faint glow coming from the necklace she wore. It was so faint he could barely see it, but his extra sharp vision caught it. (another vamp advantage) He didn't stop her, he was following her to see where she'd lead him.

As they went deeper into the dark Marshall caught sight of a creature lurking in the shadows, preparing to make an attack. As it was about to jump at Fionna, Marshall dropped to the ground and was about to yell a warning. But when the creature came from under the dark it stopped, a look of fear in its beady eyes when it saw the necklace. It took off running and whimpering.

Fionna's head tilted. She'd heard him when he'd hit the ground, for he had landed on a twig. Just his luck.

She took off in an unexpected sprint, much more graceful and agile than when she'd begun walking. Now she was darting through the trees with ease. She was actually quite quick considering she was wearing a floor length dress. He took off after.

She never looked back, but sensing he was following, she ran harder. Her hat snatched on a low hanging branch and was wrenched off her head, but being in her state, she didn't take notice. Now her loose hair whipped behind her.

Marshall decided to play a trick and hung back, but still followed. He went to the side of the trail she was taking and followed undetected through the underbrush. She spun around abruptly. Seeing he was not following, or assumed, she walked the rest of the way.

When she stopped they were in a clearing, a wide expanse of dead earth. But there was another person. More like a shadow. A shadow woman. But he could distinguish only a few of her features. She had long hair that was pulled into a braided bun and was wearing a black dress. That much he could tell.

"Fionna, do you like the dress? I had you wear it because I wanted to make sure you had found my possessions."

'So the box was filled with some creepy lady's stuff? Lame,' Marshall thought.

"You will need to wear this same dress when I tell you to. This is the gown I wore on my last day on this cruel earth."

'Whoa. Not so lame now.'

"You...you're dead?" Fionna's quiet voice was barely audible over the rustling of the leaves.

"Yes. I am but a memory. But when you create my key and open the confinement in which I am trapped, I will be very much alive."

Marshall just heard the woman mutter under her breath, "And you won't." But she said it so quiet and quickly, he thought he'd imagined it.

"So, my darling Fionna, back to important matters, it has come to my attention that you disobeyed my orders to go back to your homely abode. And why's that?" A silent rage filled her voice.

"I-I'm sorry. But-"

"No excuses. You will just have to face punishment. Remember, you brought this upon yourself." The woman raised her hand and a black energy seemed to encircle her hand. She was using black magic.

Marshall realized he'd been stupid enough to let the conversation go on to this point and he flung himself out of the bush.

"Fionna!" he yelled. He was so confused. What the gob was going on?

The lady's head turned to him. He couldn't see it, but he could feel it.

"Ah, who might this be?" the woman said, hand still raised above her head. Fionna's frightened stare didn't even flicker from the woman for a second.

"I'm...the Vampire King," he said with confidence.

"Oh, and do you think that makes a difference in whether I should kill you right now?" she retorted with sarcasm. "Are you here for her?" She gestured to Fionna.

He took a step forward.

"Ah, ah, ah," she warned. She lowered her hand, but snapped her fingers and said, "Sleep." Fionna immediately collapsed to the ground.

He understood now. She had full control over Fionna. How this came to be, he didn't know, but he made a mental goal to end it.

He flew to her, ignoring the evil presence that looked over him just five feet away. He lifted her head in his arms, but she stayed limp and unconscious.

"Let her go," he said forcefully.

"You do not know who you're messing with, boy. When she put that necklace on, it was an automatic vow to me that she would do whatever in her power to release me. I must have my revenge, and I will." she hissed.

'Revenge on who?' he wondered.

But as if answering his thoughts, she said, "I will have revenge on all of Aaa. These citizens are the decedents of the ones who ended my life. And for nothing! I did nothing wrong! They hanged me for practicing my beliefs! But they will suffer the consequences. Oh, they will."

'Nut job,' he thought to himself.

"I am not!" she screamed with fury.

And in one swift movement she whipped him against a dying tree and attempted to escape before sunrise, but before she disappeared through the trees, she turned back to him.

"And don't forget. You're in the center of all of this now. It was your own fault you showed yourself." She walked away, her steps light, almost as if on air.

He stood up.

'Well, that could've gone better.'

He rubbed the back of his head as he came to Fionna.

She began to stir. Peeking one eye open slightly, she said, "Marshall? What're you doing? And what am I wearing? Where are we?"

Wow, she didn't remember anything.

Instead he held a hand out to help her up and said, "I thought you said you wouldn't faint on me again."

Confusion was obvious on her face, but she cracked a smile. "No fair, I don't even know what I was out for. For all I know, you could've knocked me out yourself!" She put her fists on her hips and made an I-know-you-did-it-so-don't-try-to-deny-it face. He was used to it.

He laughed his malicious laugh and nodded his head for her to follow. She began to take about three steps and froze mid-step.

Reaching a hand up to her head, she felt for her hat. "Where's my hat?" she said slowly.

"You probably dropped it, come on," he said casually, trying to change the subject. There was a pretty good chance she wasn't getting that hat back.

But one for being persistent, she went on, "Where's my hat, Marsh? You took it, didn't you? Haha, now please give it back before I go ninja on your butt." she warned.

"Let's go, Fi. I don't have it, and if I did, let me you, you wouldn't be getting it back."

"I got it back at the ball-"

"Yeah, but you kicked me! It doesn't matter, I don't have it." He held his hands out as if showing he was innocent. That's ironic. When was he ever innocent?

She sighed. "Fine. But can you help me find it?"

"Yeah, whateva."

As they were walking back through the forest, Marshall made a subtle turn toward the way she'd dropped her hat. He found it ripped and dirty, hanging from a branch like a noose.

Turning to Fionna, he held it out. "Here?"

She took it excitedly, then disappointment clouded over her happiness.

"Whoa, what the hay happened to it?"

"I don't know," he lied. "Let's head back, Cake's going to kill me when she sees you."

"Yeah, I guess," she said quietly, still clutching her ruined hat loosely.

He looked at her closely for the first time that night. Her hair was wild and tangled, dress smeared with mud and torn at the bottom. She looked a mess, but beautiful at the same time.

But he hid his feelings well. They walked the rest of the way back, side by side. Nothing disturbed them on the way, but Marshall was still uneasy whenever he glanced at the necklace hanging around Fionna's neck.

"So, Fi, you gonna keep this?" He reached out his hand to it, but she sidestepped away. She watched him with a wary gaze.

"I don't know..." she looked down as she walked and twiddled with her dress skirt. Suddenly, she hiked up her dress, grumbling.

"It's so irritating! I can't wait to put on some regular clothes."

"I think you look nice," he said sincerely, not even realizing what he said until it was out of his mouth.

She blushed a bright red. "Th-Thanks." She pushed a lock of blonde hair behind her ear.

As they came out of the forest they had only milliseconds to register what happened. Cake was flying through the air towards them.

Landing smack on Fionna's face, she yelled, "Where were you? I thought you both died!" Then she looked at Marshall leaped at him.

"Get off, you oversized squirrel!" he said as he pushed Cake off of his stomach. Standing up, he glared at her. "Geez, over protective much?"

"Naw, I'm just making sure you don't hurt Fio-" She noticed what Fionna was wearing. "Hun. What're you wearing? And where's your hat?" She wasn't used to seeing Fionna without her beloved hat.

"I don't really know. And as for my hat...it kinda got..." she held it out by her thumb and index finger. "Yeah."

Cake turned back to Marshall with a knowing glint in her eye. "You and I, mister, are going to have a talk," she said seriously. Marshall lifted his head to the sky, as if that would get him out of the conference with the mutant rat.

"I'm okay, though. Really, Cake!" Fionna reminded her. She knew Cake could get out if hand at times.

She disregarded Fionna with a doubtful look, but nodded her head reluctantly. But not one for letting go, Cake gave Marshall another threatening look, reminding him of their talk.

**Chapter 6 *The Talk***

"Sit down, buddy," she commanded without a hint of kindness in her voice. She pointed to an empty old seat across from her in Marshall's kitchen.

She was hard to take seriously when her feet didn't even touch the ground, let alone she was a cat with an adorably fluffy tail.

"Okay, okay, Queen Whiskers. Don't have a hairball."

She crossed her arms, obviously not taking humor in the joke. "Where were you guys? I wake up and you're both gone! It nearly scared me half to death!"

"Too bad it didn't," he muttered under his breath as he slouched in his chair, eyes closed.

Cake's ears pricked up. "What was that?"

"Nothing." he sighed, sitting up in his seat. "So, we both know how this works. You scold me, I say a witty insult, you say a come-back, you go home. Let's do this!"

But Cake didn't say anything. She stared at him with...sympathy? "Don't you get it?"

"What?"

She shook her head slowly. "You can't keep doing this, Marshall. Getting her into trouble, telling lies, tricking her. You can't keep hurting her. She's just a girl. A tough girl, but she's still young. I was really worried this time when I couldn't find her and you play it off like nothing. I may be her best friend, but I still look after her. Fionna doesn't deserve this."

He was greatly surprised by the tone of Cake's voice. What was she talking about? He treated Fionna just fine.

But she continued. "And tonight you couldn't even tell her why she woke up in the middle of Hollow's Death! Why she was wearing a ripped dress and where her hat was. And speaking of that, what did happen?"

Marshall wasn't used to being talked to like this by anyone. They were all too scared to speak to him like that. But Cake was fearless. Except for when it came to vampires. But if she had to defend Fionna, she'd stand up to an army of vampires.

"Well...you're not going to believe me." he started, hoping she'd give up on the subject. Ha, that's funny.

"I've seen things I'll never be able to un-see. Go on," she stated calmly.

"Ugh. Fine. Well, first of all, I think it's all connected to the necklace..." And from there on, he explained everything.

Cake stared at him blankly. Then said, "Oh."

He leaned back casually in his seat. "You asked for it."

But then Cake cracked a halfhearted smile. "Huh, okay, Marshall, enough joking. Tell the truth."

"What? I just told you!"

"Oh, please! You expect me to believe that?"

"Yes!"

"Well I don't! These are the kind of things I told you to stop doing to Fionna, so what do you do? You lie to me. Great. Real classy, Marsh."

Exasperated, Marshall threw his hands up. "I don't know what you mean! I've never lied to Fi! Why would I?" His voice had grown softer as he went on. "I would never hurt her. Swear."

Cake's eyes grew wide. "Oh. My. Chubs! You lik-"

Marshall flew up from his seat and was now floating over the table with his hand clamped tightly over Cake's mouth.

"Shut up, furball," he snarled. But then, being Cake, she licked his hand.

"Aw, sick!" he yelled as he scrubbed his hand furiously on his pant leg.

Cake, unaffected by what just happened, said, "So you DO! Never saw that coming." She looked thoughtfully off into the distance.

"Just be quiet, okay? It doesn't matter," he mumbled.

Cake looked back at him with wide eyes. "Of course it matters! Boys are so stupid sometimes."

"Excuse me?" Marshall stared at her harshly.

Seeing she had misspoken, she hastily added, "Uh, but of course not you! You're-You're like...totally not stupid."

"Yeah, sure," he said doubtfully. She still thought he was stupid.

"Listen, girl to guy, you should go talk to her," Cake informed, trying to be helpful.

He raised an eyebrow and narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

Cake got fidgety. Looking at anything but him, she said shyly, "Oh, ya know...cause this!" And she pushed him into the living room.

Now, since he was floating, he rocketed straight into Fionna, who was trying to figure out what to do to fix her hat.

"Ouch!" she yelped.

"Uh, sorry." He stood up and held a hand out to her.

"It's fine, dude. Do you have any spare clothes? This dress is going to be in shreds any moment now." And if that wasn't emphasis enough to show much she hated it, she pulled out her sword.

"Okay, settle down before you cut someone's head off. Actually, I wouldn't mind beheading Cake...No, she'd just haunt me. I'll be back in a sec." he said and floated off to his room to look for something.

She plopped down on the couch, getting tangled in the ruffles of the dress. She gave up on trying to detangle herself and waited. He came back with a band t-shirt and jeans with holes in the knees.

He combed a hand through his hair. "Sorry, this is all I have."

She took it without complaint. "Thank you! Anything is better than this dress." And she ran into the restroom to change.

Cake peeked her head around the doorway into the living room.

"Sooooo?" she asked inquiringly.

"So what?" he asked, already forgotten their earlier conversation.

She raised an eyebrow.

He realized what she meant and groaned. "Shut up."

"Where she go?" she asked, searching the room for her adventurous friend.

"Getting dressed."

"Oh, well-"

"I'm going for a walk," he announced, cutting Cake off before she could say anything further on the subject.

Cake watched him walk away, but before he left, she heard him say something about beheading cats.

**Chapter 7 *The Necklace Nightmares***

Fionna walked out of the restroom, the t-shirt was two sizes too big and the jeans barely held up. She staggered to the couch and flipped down, too exhausted to talk to either Cake nor Marshall. That was when the shadow woman came back, snaking her way into her dreams and forming a horrendous nightmare. But Fionna, being under the black magic of the witch, was unaware of the nightmare. She felt nothing, just went through the motions.

"Hello, Fionna," the slithering voice greeted icily.

Fionna said nothing, but stared blankly at Vivian. She was more vivid. Her hair was black, her lips were red, and she wore velvet Victorian dress. Her eyes were a dull black, no spark of life. The only part of her that was indecipherable was her legs and arms. But even then she looked as if she was solidifying right before Fionna's eyes.

"That ignoramus interrupted us earlier, but do not worry. He did not stop us. Not even delay. He is nothing but a nuisance. In fact, I want you to see him no more. He interferes with everything. Understand?"

Fionna was on the verge of saying "Heck no!", but something stopped her and instead she replied, "Yes, ma'am." There was just something about her voice that was so compelling. So soothing. So enchanting.

Vivian smiled a evil smirk that sent chills down Fionna's back. In two strides, Vivian was standing before Fionna, exactly arm length. Vivian took advantage of the shortage of space and put a gentle hand on Fionna's shoulder.

She suddenly became serious, or more serious, and stared into Fionna's eyes with intense concentration.

"Do you know why I picked you, Fionna? To free me of my cage?" she said solemnly.

Fionna shook her head.

"Because you are pure of heart. You are strong and willing. I needed someone without a smudge in their divine soul, innocent enough to break the confinement in which I am bound. You are perfect, so to say."

Fionna stayed silent. The feeling of someone else controlling her came back. Although, when she thought about it, the feeling never really left. It was always there. Lurking in the shadows of her heart, prepared to snare her mind in an endless blanket of bewitchment. Yes, that was when the nightmare began. When she realized she was trapped. And she could do nothing to stop it.

**Chapter 8 *A Haunting Memory***

Cake checked in on Fionna for the fifth time that hour. She didn't know why she was so paranoid, but she got the feeling Fionna would jump up any second and do something unexplainable.

'That's ridiculous,' she scolded herself. Marshall hadn't come back, so Cake was technically the only one awake. And sane.

Right now she sat next to the sleeping form of Fionna, watching her tentatively. Fionna kept muttering and stirring in her slumber, agitated. Cake was tempted more than once to wake her, but knew it wouldn't help. It would probably make matters worse. The necklace she valued so dearly faintly shimmered. Cake wondered if Fionna had taken the jewelry off since the ball.

Figuring she hadn't and that she'd just forgotten, Cake leaned over and tried to unhook the chain. She yanked her hand back sharply. She just remembered how Fionna had reacted when she'd tried to take it off at the treehouse. That hadn't been fun.

Then she reached back over, testing her sneaking suspicion. As her touch connected with the cold metal of the gold chain, Cake held her breath. Nothing. She undid the clasp and held the necklace as if it was a dangerous disease that was highly contagious. Nothing. Fionna seemed to relax and snuggled deeper into her calm dreams, a serene expression on her face. Her hair framed her face and a strand hung across her eyes. Cake brushed it away and stood up, eager to rid herself of the creepy necklace.

She walked into the kitchen and sat it on the cupboard, preparing herself for sleep. But as she left the kitchen for the room where Fionna lay peacefully, she failed to notice the woman behind her, as solid as solid can be. No shadow distorted her beautiful yet sharp features, no darkness shrouded her black eyes or blood red lips. She was not alive, but would soon be. She was a haunting memory.

She held out a long white hand to the necklace and gingerly pinched the chain as if afraid it would crumble to dust in her clutch. But when it didn't, she smiled an insane smile, one that made her look unstable. But she didn't care. She whipped the necklace up off the counter and silently tiptoed into the other room. She spotted Fionna immediately, the wild tangle of golden hair made obvious in the dim room. The child seemed at peace, dreaming of anything other than Vivian, that's for sure. But not for long. The girl would be hers.

She silently stepped over the furball of a cat on the floor and leaned over the dreaming girl. She placed the cursed necklace back around her neck, but taking extra measures, she wielded the clasp together with a single touch of her sharp nails and a few uttered words. Now the foolish kitten can't take it off.

'The cat and vampire have been interfering a lot lately. Maybe I should put the rest of my plans in motion...Yes. Before they can even realize what's happening I'll already be alive and very powerful. And this charming young lady will be nothing more than a wisp of memories. Just like I have been for so many long decades."

Vivian went to the door and called out to Fionna, who was now back under the Witch's spell. She rose steadily and quietly, her eyes blank. She was sinking further and further into Vivian's black magic, unable to fight back.

"Come. It is time," purred Vivian with outstretched hands. Fionna walked out the door after Vivian, following her every command. But before Vivian left, she grabbed the black dress she had worn on her death day.

'Fionna shall wear it on her last day, also,' she thought.

She put a hand to Fionna's shoulder and guided her away from the safe home, out towards the Candy Kingdom and to the moment Vivian has been awaiting for years, decades, centuries.

**Chapter 9 *The Witch's Truth***

Vivian and Fionna were in the palace lab, creating the key to the Candy Kingdom's downfall. Fionna stood stiffly by the doors, prepared to shout out a warning if anyone came towards the lab. It stank of chemicals and disinfectant, almost like a pristine hospital. Vivian stood at the lab table mixing and stirring potions and miscellaneous substances. Occasionally she would grunt in anger or exclaim happily when she found the right liquid. Fionna was again wearing the dress and didn't complain. How could when she's under a Witch's spell?

"Yes! Yes! I have created it. This shall open the box, Fionna...This will end it all." Vivian held a vial of red liquid.

"Where is the box? Hand it to me." But in response to Vivian's demand Fionna shrugged her shoulders.

"Where is it?" Vivian practically shouted, impatience getting the better of her.

In a monotonous tone, Fionna answered, "Marshall's."

Silence fell between them. Then Vivian exploded.

"Damn! You foolish girl! Go back! Fetch it and return immediately!"

Fionna didn't even flinch. She nodded her head and treaded back to Marshall's, mindset on getting the box. No matter what.

Marshall was heading back just before midnight, the full moon illuminating his path. But it's not like he needed the silver light from the moon. The night air was fresh and crisp, perfect for a walk. Or float. It smelled like it did after a horrible rainstorm had passed and the sun shone its warming rays of light down on the earth. But of course Marshall wouldn't know that warmth.

As his house came into view, he saw none of the lights were on inside, so he assumed they were both sleeping. How wrong he was.

"Cake?" he whispered when he walked in through the door, which he found standing wide open.

"Gumphtha?" he heard her mumble sleepily. Even his super hearing couldn't depict what she just said.

"Huh?" He walked over to Cake laying on the floor and saw Fionna wasn't on the couch anymore.

"Cake, where's Fionna?" he asked with apprehension.

"Sheslayingthere..." Her words slurred together as she pointed to the couch with a limp hand.

Knowing this would wake her up, he said, "She's not here."

Cake shot up like a firework on the Fourth of July. "What? She was here when...when..."

"You fell asleep," he finished for her. She shot daggers at him.

"Shut up. It's been a long day," she confessed. Crossing her arms, she ran into the kitchen.

"Cake. Now is not the time for one of your midnight snack breaks!"

"No!" He heard Cake scrambling around the drawers and cupboards. Curious, he came in after her.

"What's going o-"

"It's gone! The necklace is gone!" Cake fumbled with the objects strewn all over the counter.

"What do you mean?" he asked, annoyed that he didn't know what was going on.

Cake took a deep breath and tried to calm down. She waited a few seconds before she said something.

"I took Fionna's necklace off while she was sleeping and now she and the necklace are gone." she explained patiently.

He stared at her, not knowing what to say.

"We need to stop this." he finalized.

Cake shook her head eagerly. "Agreed! But how?"

He gave this question a lot of thought before he answered.

"Where did you say you found the necklace?" His eyes narrowed and he pointed at her with an accusatory glare.

"In a chest I found in the basement...encased in the wall..." she said quietly, feeling guilty.

"Oh, that isn't suspicious. And if that isn't a big red stop sign, what else did you find in the trunk?" He was beginning to piece together the story one fact at a time.

"A dress, the necklace, pictures, and love letters. Why?"

"Show me the chest. I think we could find something helpful from the pictures and love letters."

Cake gave him a worried look, but didn't question.

As they headed out, they didn't see Fionna hiding among the trees, waiting for the right moment to sneak into the house to reclaim the box. That fatal mistake could be the end for all.

Fionna watched with unseeing eyes as Marshall and Cake hurried to the treehouse. Little did they know, they were leaving behind something very valuable and important.

Fionna streaked across the yard with such speed, you probably wouldn't see her if you hadn't been staring intently at the house. She slipped inside without a sound and darted to the closet where she had hidden the box filled with the things the Witch had left behind. And just like that, she was already on her way back to the lab. Once the Witch had this back in her possession, she would be unstoppable.

Cake pulled the trunk out from the basement. It was already unlocked from the night if the ball. Marshall effortlessly lifted it and sat it opposite him. Cake looked over his shoulder, breathing down his neck.

"Ahem. Do you mind?" he said irritatingly. Dang, she had bad breath!

"Nope. Go on." Cake was so oblivious sometimes. He rolled his eyes and began sorting through the contents.

Then he made a very important discovery. "Cake, look! These aren't love letters, these are diary entries!"

Cake was practically climbing onto his shoulders, so he shifted his position.

Marshall read one aloud:

"1876 Dear Diary,

Today is the day. The trial was yesterday. I was accused guilty. My execution is within the hour, and I wish naught but to be free. My mother once told me, "Thy freedom is earned, not given". But they did not give me my freedom, for I earned it. Instead, they accuse me of witchcraft and send me to the gallows to be hanged! But unknown to their knowledge, they will regret such motives. They shall see what I can do. All of them shall! Whomever hands this parchment befalls, know this; the end is near. I have taken the time and liberty to bewitch the necklace of which my mother placed in my possession when I was but a babe. Much has changed and I wish not to wear it, but to send it on to a pure soul, one without sin in their heart. And the first to place the necklace around thy neck, shall be the first to accompany me on my journey to renewed life.

It is time. My executioner awaits. I shall not leave them in suspense. They've come to see a witch hanged, so they shall see a witch hanged. But not just any witch. Vivian Smith will not go unheard."

And the note ended abruptly. Marshall slowly lifted his head to Cake's wide, disbelieving eyes. At the same moment, they both knew what they had to do. They had to stop the Witch. And fast, at that.

"What are ya sittin' on yo rump for, fangboy? Let's go!" Cake screamed hysterically. Yanking him by the wrist, Cake grew five times her normal size and made for Death's Hollow, thinking that's where they had gone.

Fionna strode in briskly, the skirts of her dress swishing and flowing behind her.

Without a word, she held the box out with two hands to Vivian. She took the box with an evil smirk, very pleased with the girl's speed.

"Now I shall live once again. I will be lifted of this wretched curse!"

She grabbed the red vial and uncapped it with a pop. Tilting the metal box back at an angle, she poured the red substance into the lock. As if by magic, it clicked open with a hiss. Vivian was no longer a memory. She was real.

Vivian glanced at Fionna, making sure she had the necklace on. An inky black mist swirled from the crack between the lid and bottom of the box, slowly encircling the necklace around Fionna neck. In a sudden flash, it was gone, and so was Vivian.

But not entirely.

Vivian lifted a hand to her now golden, waist length hair. She felt it flow between her fingers, like water. She looked down at her black dress, did an elegant twirl, hearing the the swish and crumple of the skirts. Inhaling deeply, she coughed, the smell of disinfectant overpowering her lungs. But she smiled, despite the coughing fit. She ran to a mirror that hung conveniently on the far wall. She inspected her reflection. Wide caribbean blue eyes gazed excitedly back at her. She fingered the necklace, which had turned a sparrow black.

When she spoke, it was Fionna's voice, but it was still Vivian. Fionna was no longer with us.

**Chapter 10 *Love Bites***

Vivian sauntered out of the palace doors. Dark, grey-black clouds swirled in a spiral above the Candy Kingdom as a sign for all that was to come. The candy people came streaming out of their homes, staring at the sky with confusion and foreboding. Vivian smiled at their discomfort.

'Fools. They know naught of what is to happen to their horrid little souls,' Vivian thought with hatred and satisfaction.

Vivian stepped forward and cupped her hands together, hair whipping across her face from the forceful winds that had picked up. She whispered a few words in another language and spread her hands out as a sign that she was finished saying the spell.

Almost immediately a swarm of crows came from Death's Hollow to the kingdom that was soon to fall to its knees. Vivian was using black magic.

"Thy all will rot in this black pit that thy call home! Thy deaths shall be slow and painful. Thee may not know why this is so, but I do. And that's argument enough." Vivian called to the citizens with outspread arms.

Prince Gumball came running out of the palace, confused and panicking as he noticed his kingdom was out of control. Then he noticed Fionna. Or so he thought.

"Fionna? What is going on?" He jogged towards her, fear clearly written in his eyes, but being smart enough to not show it.

"Fionna is no longer. I am Vivian. Vivian Smith."

Prince Gumball got an annoyed look. "Come on, Fionna. Explain!"

A cruel smile crossed her face. "I think I just did." She closed her eyes and and muttered something under her breath. When her eyes snapped open, Prince Gumball was still standing with his arms crossed, tapping his foot impatiently. But then his expression of annoyance turned to a frightened one as he was dragged back by his shirt collar by a flock of stray crows. Not her best punishment, but Vivian was saving those for the finale.

The sky cracked and boomed with thunder and lightning. The rain was coming.

Vivian uttered spell upon curse, doing hand gestures rapidly and twirling, spinning, almost as if she was dancing with invisible enchantments. The clouds grew darker and darker, blocking any light, any wisp of hope from the Land of Aaa.

And in the middle of it all, stood Fionna the Heroine, Adventuress of Aaa. But instead of Fionna saving the day once again, it was Vivian to doom the day. And it didn't look like Fionna was coming back soon. Vivian was in control.

When they'd realized Vivian and Fionna were nowhere in Death's Hollow, they were already very late.

Marshall could see the palace in the distance, but it didn't look like it's usual sweet self. There were dark clouds shading the sky a a disturbing grey and lightning lit the world below, making it look as though a photographer was taking a picture. The thunder roared with a loose rage and Cake winced every time.

"Are you okay, Cake?" Marshall asked as he flew beside her.

"Yeah, it's just really loud. My awesome ears are a blessing and a curse," she replied with exaggeration. Marshall just shook his head.

As they got closer he could see the chaos being unleashed beneath. The candy people were running in every direction and no direction, screaming as they were chased by various creatures and monsters. When Marshall looked up he saw Prince Gumball being held above the ground at the tower of the castle by some crows.

"Ugh." Marshall muttered. He went off their path to find Fionna and Vivian and went just below PG as the demon birds dropped him from over 400 feet. He caught him swiftly and dropped him off by the palace doors. Without waiting for a thank you, he zipped off to catch up with Cake.

"I found her!" Cake yelled over raucous noise.

Marshall said nothing, but gestured for her to lead the way.

As they came up to where Fionna stood upon a roof, arms raised above her head, hair fluttering around her like a shield. Before they could say anything, she turned her head, lowering her hands.

"Ah, I wondered how long it would take thee to appear," she said darkly.

Caught by surprise with her sinister tone and choice of speech, Cake squinted. "Fionna? Wha-"

"I am not Fionna!" she snapped angrily. "I am Vivian Smith. Thy beloved Fionna is gone. And so will thou, when I am finished." She stepped easily across the narrow roof top, as if it was flat ground. The rain first came down in a slight sprinkle, but as ticked by, it morphed into a violent downpour. Yet she still did not slip, waver, or even hesitate as she walked step after step across the roof towards them.

"No, I know it's still Fionna. That's not Vivian."

She halted. "I am Vivian," she muttered.

"No, Fionna."

"I AM." She tried to stay calm.

"No. You're Fionna," he stated, trying to break her of her still composure, hoping to get the upper hand when she was enraged.

"I AM VIVIAN!" she screeched as she took a step forward. But not paying attention, her ankle twisted and she slipped down the shingles like a slide. Marshall reached out and grabbed her hand.

She looked up at him gratefully, but that changed back into mischievous frown and yanked down on him with all her strength, flipping him over the top of her and across the side of the roof. She watched him flip over the edge with victory.

He floated up slowly with his arms behind his head, looking as though he was enjoying himself. Her from returned and she hauled herself back onto the roof.

Cake flung herself at Vivian, and yelled, "I'm so sorry, baby!" They rolled down the side of the roof and down to the ground, but before they hit the fast coming ground, Cake stretched into a giant puddle shape and kept Vivian locked in her arms as she struggled and kicked. Finally, she stopped fighting and lay still, mumbling words in Latin.

"What're you doing?" Cake asked, shivering from the icy drops falling in sheets.

Vivian stayed silent. Then the sound of a shattering window broke the silence. And then another. And another. And another. Windows from all sides were exploding, roots and vines growing from the insides of homes and shooting across the streets. They wrapped around Cake's arms, hands, feet, legs, neck, stomach, and mouth, strapping her down to the hard floor. She tried to shrink down, but they shrunk down with her and grew, too. Vivian stepped stealthily off of the cat's stomach, not even giving her a second glance. Marshall came closer to the ground, staring surprisedly at Cake's restrained limbs.

"How..." he started, but couldn't seem to finish as the realization hit him just how powerful Vivian was. She had taken over Fionna, for glob's sake.

"Fionna," he whispered, hands out to show he wanted to do no harm. "Don't. Please, come back."

"This name Fionna is getting real tiresome. I am Vivian and Vivian only. I may have the appearance of the girl, but I am not her in mind, heart, strength, and soul. Now, if thy don't wish to be obliterated, then I suggest stepping aside." Vivian said dismissively.

"No, I know you're still there Fionna. Listen to me! Remember all those times we pranked we PG? You can't forget that." he tried. It seemed to work, if only a little.

Vivian clutched her hair in frustration. "No! Shut up!" But she didn't seem to be speaking to Marshall. Her eyes were closed tightly, but that went as quickly as it had come.

"Fool! Do you really think that could bring her back? She's gone. Too far for even you," Vivian spat smugly. "Thy have no power in this situation." And with that, she escaped through the frantic crowd of candy citizens as they poured out of the streets, waving their tiny arms in the air and screaming in their high-pitched voices.

Marshall flew after her and grabbed both of her arms, lifting her high above the roofs.

"Let me go!" she screamed, flailing her legs.

"Fionna, remember when you tried to play my guitar and broke the strings? How angry I got? Then later on you somehow managed to fix them to make it up to me?"

As he said this, she stopped kicking. She looked up at him. "Marshall?" But she shook her head and ripped one if her hands free from his grasp. She made a sign and two crows flew straight at him. They stabbed his hands with their pointy beaks and he let go of Vivian/Fionna as he cried out in pain. He opened his eyes and looked down, expecting to see a red stain on the ground below. But he saw nothing.

Vivian was making her way to the palace, ready to execute the last step of her plan. Destruction.

He caught sight of the fluttering black dress and dove down. She was running so fast that he almost lost her once again in the panicked crowd.

She risked a glance over her shoulder and saw Marshall in pursuit. Jamming her heel into the pavement, she made a sharp turn into an alley. He was flying too fast to slow down and went straight past the alley, but made a U-turn and shot down after her.

"_Oppugnare_!" she yelled.

'Wait, is that...Latin?' he thought, bewildered. But at the drop of a hat, creatures of unknown species crawled, slithered, flew, and leapt at him from thin air. He curved upwards and saw his mistake only as soon as it was too late. She had wanted him to go up. While he had been focused on escaping the chance to be animal food, she had disappeared through a building or had gotten lost in the crowd again.

"Stop her!" a water taffy commanded as he pointed at Vivian/Fionna making a break for the palace doors.

"Gotcha," Marshall whispered. He went in a stick straight line at her.

Ramming into her from the back, she yelped in surprise.

"No!" she yelled desperately, reaching around her neck and clawing frantically. When her fingers closed around the cold, hard black stone, she sighed with relief.

That's when it hit him. The Witch was using Fionna through the necklace. He reached for it.

Slapping his hand away, she scrambled up. She didn't look back once as she scaled the staircase with ease. She didn't seem to tire, even when she was on the fifth floor of stairs.

Marshall got up clumsily and went straight up,vertical the castle walls. He was positive he'd beat her to the top, absolutely sure. But when he reached the roof, his theory was proved otherwise. She stood with her back to him, arms raised, chanting a malediction.

Deciding to end this once and for all, he jumped at her and whirled her around. She pushed him back immediately and took a step backwards.

"Don't touch me! This is the end, for thy and all," she said fiercely.

He didn't answer but simply made another attempt at the necklace. She dodged easily.

"Thy waste thou strength, performing futile efforts to deter me. But I have already uttered the last step to my plan and is underway this very moment," she whispered vehemently, a pleased glint in her eye.

"Wait, what? But how-" But as Marshall spoke, he saw from the corner of his eye an inky black creature come from the surrounding forest, then another, and after those came a whole army of them. They chased the candy people with ravaging jaws and dagger-like teeth, taking them one by one. Even Marshall, the Vampire King who has seen every demon there was to see, flinched as he watched the catastrophic scene below.

Vivian/Fionna began to make her way the trap door that led beneath into the palace.

"Like I said earlier, you're in the middle of this all. I wasn't lying. And to keep my word, you'll be one of the first to go. _Venit_!" The last word was in Latin again, and meant something to the animals below, because at least a dozen of them came scrambling to her call.

"Goodbye," she mumbled flatly. As she turned to open the trap door, it burst open and something pink landed on top of Fionna heavily. Prince Gumball yanked the necklace off and tripped over his own feet trying to get away from the girl's clawing nails as she tried to pry it from his hands. She'd been set up.

"Give it back, you wretch!" she screamed unevenly. "Or I'll-" But she froze mid-sentence, her raised hand that was about to give Prince Gumball a powerful blow, dropped to her side and she stared in blankly into nowhere. Suddenly, her eyes closed softly and she fell back, right into Marshall's waiting arms. The spell was broken. Or at least they hoped.

"Good job, Gum. Although she almost gave you a whooping," Marshall said sarcastically.

Prince Gumball was sitting with his arms propped out behind him and his legs crisscrossed, the necklace lay beside him. There was a small crack where it had hit the ground when he'd dropped it.

"Hahaha. I played a pretty important role in this plan of yours, so don't make fun of me for once." His eyes narrowed, then softened when he gazed at Fionna. "Is she alright now?" he whispered, a hint of an unrecognized emotion in his voice.

Marshall looked down at her, also. "I think so...Where's the necklace?"

Gumball held it up cautiously, as if the Witch would jump from the necklace into one of them at any moment.

"Go lock it in the box downstairs. I know she had it with her when she came here. Go find it, lock that thing away as fast as you can, and dump it in the nearest river," Marshall said disdainfully, regarding the necklace with a look of pure hatred.

Gumball hurriedly stood and brushed his shirt off.

"Gladly," was all he said in reply to Marshall's instructions.

As he left, Marshall stared once again back down at Fionna. She began to wake.

Her eyes met his. "Marshall?"

He smiled. "Are you alright?" He wanted verification that this was really Fionna, not the Witch doing a cruel trick.

"Yeah...Yeah, I'm fine. Just a mega headache, but yeah. It's all good," she rambled on, not totally awake yet. Then her senses started to clear and she realized her situation.

"Why're you holding me?"

"Long story," he stated with a little humor, imagining how weird this probably was for her. Might as well make things a little more awkward.

He leaned down and kissed her. At first she was taken by surprise and recoiled, but then melted into his touch. They stayed like this for a while, not really caring about time. But unfortunately, they had forgotten Cake.

"Holy shmowzow! Don't eat her! She's not even that delicious, trust me!" Cake screamed. She smacked Marshall upside the head as hard as she could, then wrapped Fionna in her stretched arms, holding her about five feet from where she had been laying and three feet above roof level.

"Ow! Chill out, you rabid squirrel," he muttered, rubbing his head.

"I am not a squirrel! And I have every reason to smack-"

"It's fine, Cake! Settle down!" Fionna hastily assured, struggling to free herself of Cake's crushing embrace. Cake eyed her wearily.

"Eh. I still don't trust this weasel," she said snottily, sticking her nose in the air with arrogance.

Marshall stood up and brushed his shirt off angrily, staring daggers at Cake all the while.

Prince Gumball made them all jump when he exploded out from the trap door.

"Okay! Bad news! Those black creepy things we saw? You know, the ones the Witch summoned? Yeah, they're coming!" he screamed in a rush.

"What?" Marshall said. He'd thought the monsters had disappeared, just as their mistress had.

Gumball rolled his eyes. "Are you that thick? I said-" But before he could finish, he dropped down and disappeared from view. They heard him yell from surprise. His voice carried down the hall and faded away abruptly.

"Gumball!" Fionna called even though he could no longer hear her. She pushed Cake's hand away and leapt down, not bothering to use the ladder. Cake stared after her dumbly while Marshall climbed down after her.

Recovering, Cake yelled, "YOLO!" And jumped in. Fionna was already out of sight.

"Gumball!" they they heard Fionna yell. They followed her voice down the corridor. Then they heard her call his name again, but from a different direction. Marshall and Cake exchanged confused glances. He shrugged and she blinked, moving toward the sound. As they neared where they had heard her voice, they heard her voice again, but this time it was a frightened yelp. And then silence.

"Fionna?" Cake called quietly.

But Marshall, not being the type to contain his voice, yelled," Fionna!" He dashed down the hall to where her cry had come from.

But when he came to the corner, he saw it was a trick. An army of about 20 of the black misshapen creatures were huddled in the width of the hallway. They had somehow mimicked Fionna's voice, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Great," he muttered. Standing as still as a statue, he dared to breath. Cake came panting next to him.

"Dang, you're fast...wait up next time..." Then she looked up and realized his horrified expression. "Watcha looking at?" Her gaze shifted to the hallway, and comprehension dawned on her face. Then a sick expression.

"Oh. My. Gob...AAAHHHHHHHHH!" she screamed, breaking the silence with an earsplitting wail. Marshall flinched, silently cursing her. In return, the things all rushed at them in a wave.

"Go!" Marshall screamed, picking Cake up carelessly and flying as fast as he could. But even so, the monsters were hot on their tail. Cake didn't stop screaming, not even to pause for a breath.

Finally, he could take it no longer. "Shut up! Just shut up!"

Her mouth clamped shut immediately. Her eyes were wide, almost too wide.

As he turned a sharp corner, they found Fionna and Gumball. Fionna was in her usual fighting stance with her sword drawn and ready and Gumball cowered on the floor behind her with his legs drawn up, rocking back and forth.

Marshall smirked. Wimp.

"Fionna!" Cake stage whispered. That was enough to catch the attention of the forty-something creatures preparing to plow Fionna and Gumball over. Everyone and everything froze, as still as stone. Nothing moved.

The first person to move was Fionna. She leapt at the lead Thing in front of the group, slicing through it with her glimmering crystal sword. All hell broke loose.

Marshall was strangling a few with his bare hands. Cake was using her stretching powers to overtake large quantities of them. Fionna cut, diced, sliced, and swung with her sword, a flurry of movement. Gumball rocked on the floor.

A thought struck Marshall as he karate kicked one in the face. Making his way to Gumball, he yanked him up by his collar.

"Where's the box?" he asked urgently, his grip tightening.

Gumball's eyes flicked around the room frantically. "I-I left it in the lab! I didn't have time to get rid of it!" He held his hands up in surrender.

"Good. Take me to the lab." Gumball looked at him with great relief, happy he wasn't going to cause harm to him.

"Follow me," Prince Gumball said with authority, glad to be of some use. Marshall scowled.

He brought him down three flights of stairs before they reached the pure white lab. Gumball immediately made his way to a secure cupboard with a padlock. He dialed a complicated passcode within three seconds and with a hiss of air, the cupboard opened. He lifted the box that contained the Witch with immense care.

"What were you planning to do with it?" Gumball asked curiously. He raised an eyebrow much to Marshall's annoyance.

"I have the answer to end all of this. For now, that's all the information you need." Marshall replied in a hushed tone. He took the box with him as he left the lab, leaving Prince Gumball to stand stupidly while he went to save the Candy Kingdom.

**Chapter 11 *True Feelings***

Fionna narrowly dodged a swipe from a distorted, clawed hand that went right past her ear with a swoosh. For payback, she curved down with her glowing sword and cut it clean off. Blowing a strand of hair from her face, placed a hand on her hip and smiled. But it knocked her down with its barbed tail and stabbed at her with a forked tongue. She rolled to the side and gracefully stood, positioned with her two hands clamped tightly around the hilt of her sword and one foot in front of the other. She may be clumsy when it came to dancing, but put her in a battle and she was more agile than a ballerina.

Pushing a fluff of hair frustratingly behind her ears, she vowed to fix her hat once this was all over.

"Fionna!" A plea for help called from the corner of the room.

She jumped, ducked, spun, and slid her way across the room, weaving her way through the cluster of murderous animals. If they WERE animals.

"Here! Over here!" she heard Cake squeal. She was cornered by five of the Things and all were about to strike with their spiky tails. Cake was too overwhelmed to fight back and Fionna knew what she had to do. She ran along the top of one of the creatures and drove her sword through the head. Flipping off the pierced skull of the writhing Thing, she landed in front of Cake without a sound. Cake gave her an impressed glance, then returned to shivering in fear.

With a single strike, Fionna brought remaining four to the ground. With them out of the way, Cake stopped quivering and peeked around Fionna with apprehension.

"Whew. Girl, you really saved my tush. I didn't know you were that good," Cake said in awe.

Fionna smiled humbly. "Thanks, but it was nothing."

"Nothing? You just took down five of...those things, single handedly!" Cake gestured in the direction of the collapsed heap of Things. Fionna just shrugged her shoulders.

But there was no time for celebrating. There was about 30 more Things to take care of. Fionna and Cake set to fight just as Marshall came into the room.

"We gotta go!" he said. But Fionna and Cake were in the middle of another battle and couldn't quite hear or do anything besides. He stood impatiently in the door way, cautions to stay out of the beasts' sight. Suddenly, because he could wait no longer, he ran over and pulled the sword from Fionna's grasp, just as she was about to make the killing thrust.

"Marshall!" she exclaimed, jumping up to avoid the swing of the Thing's tail.

"Sorry!" he said, not sounding sincere. He threw the box on the ground and lifted the sword above his head, pausing to gain strength, and brought the sword down, right into the center of the box where the necklace lay. Immediately, there was a flash of light, an ear shattering roar from the Things around them, and then nothing.

"What the..." Prince Gumball said, walking in at the precise moment the event had ended. Fionna lay on the floor, hand across her stomach, eyes closed, and was breathing heavily. Her tattered and torn gown made it look as though she had walked through a cage of angry bears. Marshall sat against the wall looking dazed, both hands lay beside him. Cake was flat on the floor with her face buried in her hands.

"Is it over?" her muffled voice called.

"Uh, I think so...But how?" Prince Gumball looked to Marshall.

"I'm in no mood to talk right now. So back off," Marshall mumbled. He was exhausted, emotionally and physically. Gumball said nothing more on the matter. Instead, he helped all three stand up and together, they walked out into the blinding sun. Marshall hissed and stepped back into the shadows.

"I think I liked it when the clouds were here," he muttered.

"Here," Cake said, morphing into an umbrella. He gave a little half smile.

As they walked out into the bumbling crowd of candy people, it seemed as though none of them remembered what had happened only seconds ago.

"Wow, your people really are stupid," Marshall criticized.

Gumball frowned. "They are not! It's all part of the spell. They were meant not to remember."

Marshall rolled his eyes but didn't retort.

"Hi! Hi! Hi!" Almost all of the citizens cheered this happily as Prince Gumball passed by. Marshall's ears were about to burst.

Eventually, when they neared the center of town, Gumball looked around at the group nervously and spoke quietly to Fionna, so no one else could hear.

"May I talk with you in private?" he whispered.

"Sure," then turned to the rest, "We'll be right back."

"Okay, but hurry. I want to go home and SLEEP!" Cake declared. Marshall said nothing.

Once they were out of earshot, Gumball spoke clearly.

"Fionna...I know I have said aloud that I don't...but I do. I like you, and I'm not any happier about the marriage. When you came after me, when those Things threatened to harm you and you still defended me, I realized my true feelings for you."

She stared dumbly at him. What did she feel? She tried to, but didn't feel that usual flutter in her heart. She didn't feel excited. Or jumpy. She felt...unsure. She thought out her feelings and realized she was in love with Marshall. He'd helped her through everything. Without giving up.

Fionna regretted saying this, but knew she had to. "Gumball, I'm sorry. I-Marshall-and..." she stuttered, not knowing the right words.

Seeing what she meant, he nodded his head solemnly. "I understand, and I support your decision." Though he looked hurt. She didn't know what else to say, so she took his hand and led him back to Cake and Marshall, who quickly tried to act casual.

"We weren't eavesdropping!" Cake screamed suspiciously.

"Dang it, Cake!" Marshall threw his hands up.

"Did you hear any of that?" Fionna asked, wringing her hands.

Marshall furrowed his eyebrows. "No. Why, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's nothing," Fionna said, glad they hadn't heard. She glanced at Gumball. He was standing with his back straight, trying to avoid looking at her. It would be a little before they acted normal round each other, but until then, things were going to be a bit awkward.

Marshall gave the two of them questioning glances, but said nothing further.

"Well, I'd much rather be on my way. Thank you, all of you." He spun on his heel and stalked away, hands clasped behind his back.

Marshall grunted. "What's his problem? We just saved his life!"

Suddenly defensive, Fionna said, "He has things going on, okay? That's all."

Marshall put his hands up in mock surrender and raised his eyebrows. "Just sayin," he shouldn't ditch us like that right after I caught him from falling from the top of a _very_ high building, then-"

"What?" Fionna cried, unknowing of earlier events.

Marshall rubbed the back of neck. "Ugh, I'll explain it to you on the way back. For now, let's just go have a movie night! I'm sick of saving people."

Hand in hand, the two headed for the tree house, discussing avidly of the recent events.

Cake stood staring placidly at them.

"Ya, you know, I don't exist! Just walk on ahead, I don't care." But upon seeing they weren't going to wait for her, she groaned exasperatingly and took off in a run after them. This was going to take some getting used to.

•**END•**


End file.
